You have /5 articles left.
Sign up for a free account or log in.
If I were with you now, I'd ask you what you are reading. Why did you choose your current book? Paper, e-book, or audio? Library, bookstore or online? How have your book reading habits changed? What do you plan to read next?
All these book related questions sometimes annoy family, friends, casual acquaintances, and near strangers. Can't help myself. I'm curious about your books.
It just so happens, I read a book today.
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling
And I want to tell you the 4 reasons that I read this book:
Reason 1: Dartmouth Connection
Kaling graduated Dartmouth in 2001. We are very proud of her. I was curious about her experience at Dartmouth (which she spends some time lovingly describing), and how she made it from Hanover to The Office.
Reason 2: Library Book
Despite the Dartmouth connection (and the fact that I'm a fan of The Office), it is honestly doubtfully that is a book I would have purchased. Nonfiction, with the occasional mystery or thriller, is usually more my speed. One of the beautiful aspects of a borrowed book is a willingness to take a chance, to read something that one normally would not buy. Buying a book introduces opportunity costs, a dollar spent on one book is a dollar that can't be spent somewhere else. This makes for conservative book buying habits. Borrowing books encourages experimentation.
Reason 3: Kindle Book
Borrowing may lower barriers to reading, but the availability of a borrowed Kindle book truly encourages library usage. The NH OverDrive site nh.lib.overdrive.com/ might not be that slick, but the Kindle book borrowing experience is pretty good. The system allows for 3 books to be checked out at once, and 5 books can be put on hold. The system shows how many copies are available, and how many people have put a "hold" on any given book. The system sends an e-mail when a book becomes available. Checking out a Kindle book is easy, as the system sends you directly to the book's Amazon Kindle page. Borrowing a Kindle book through Amazon is just like buying a book. It is wireless delivered to your device, and it shows up under the "Manage Your Kindle" section.
Reason 4: iPhone
I read Kaling's book today at our local mall. My wife and daughters were shopping for holiday presents, and they installed me on a bench to read. I hate shopping, am terrible at shopping, and they'd rather I didn't follow them around constantly asking how long until they are done. With the iPhone and Kindle books I always have my books at hand. Reading a Kindle book on an iPhone is actually a very good experience. Kaling's book is an incredibly short, easy and diverting read. Funny and interesting enough to hold my attention, light enough that the noise of the mall did not prove a distraction. If the book had not been on my iPhone it may have gone unread. I had forgotten to bring other reading, and having the book ready on my iPhone made this a book of convenience.
What are you reading?
